Product Description

The Cameo Edition is a classic Cambridge typesetting of the King James Version, originally produced in the 1920s for letterpress printing. The beauty of the Cameo is its solution to the age-old problem of providing readable type in a book of manageable size. Unavailable for a while, the Cameo Reference Edition is now re-issued in response to continued consumer interest, in a new range of binding styles.The reissue has offered an opportunity for the print image to be enhanced, so while the text presents the same familiar layout and the original Petit Medieval Clarendon type, it is now sharper than in printings of recent years.Features include

Publisher's Description

The Cameo Edition is a classic Cambridge typesetting of the King James Version, originally produced in the 1920s for letterpress printing. It has been widely admired by generations of readers for its solution to the Bible designer's dilemma of readable type in a manageable size. Unavailable for a while, the Cameo Reference Edition is re-issued in response to continued consumer interest, in a new range of binding styles. The re-origination process has offered an opportunity to tidy up a number of blemishes that had gradually become part of the Cameo image over the lifetime of the edition, especially during the conversion to more modern forms of reproduction. So, while the text presents the same familiar layout and the original Petit Medieval Clarendon type, it is now better represented than in some previous recent printings of the edition. One option includes the Apocrypha which, although originally printed with the Old and New Testaments in 1611 and included in almost every King James Version Bible for 200 years, is seldom found in modern editions. All the Bibles have a concordance and 15 color maps. The text has pronunciation marks for names and the words of Christ on earth are printed in red.

The bible was perfect. The texture was soft and I love the apocrypha inside of it. It was not suppose to had been taken out of it so when you read the bible with it included, Christ words are perfect! Nothing taken away from it as stated in Revelations 22. I would purchase more for my family and others.

I received this Bible from Cambridge gratis for review purposes. It arrived sufficiently packaged in a cardboard box with one other Bible. They did not deform or break through their packaging and the Bibles were in perfect shape when they were delivered.

Upon opening the box I was presented with the clamshell retail box, which should be retained for storage purposes. The Bible inside the box was instantly striking in appearance. I am accustomed to many different qualities of cover material. When I picked the Cameo up out of the box I was struck by the soft texture of this type of calfskin leather. The grain was smoother with smaller pebbling compared to goatskin leather. I was expecting a darker brown with a texture like other top grain cowhide Bibles. I was pleasantly surprised. This calfskin was smoother and soft. The front of the Cameo is hot stamped with, Holy Bible in gold. There is a channel pressed into the leather around the perimeter of the cover. On the spine of the Cameo is, Holy Bible at the top, King James Version in the middle, and the Cambridge Logo at the bottom. They are all hot stamped in gold. The page edges are beautifully art gilded with red under gold. In the front of the Cameo you have publication information page followed by a nice presentation page. After that is the text of the KJV. Lastly, there is a very useful concordance in the back along with 15 color maps that are indexed.

The construction of the Cameo is top-notch. In addition to having a wonderful cover that will last a lifetime, it has a sewn binding that will last as long as the cover. Because of these two fine qualities the Cameo is a pleasure to hold and read. The Bible opens well and lays flat easily without being overly flexible. This edition does everything right. The only way this could be any better is if it were in NASB.

The inside cover is lined with vinyl that is color matched and glued down. The corners are finished nicely. There are two ribbon markers that match the color of the cover as well. Some less expensive Chinese or Korean Bibles try to entice you with a very supple calfskin cover lined with calfskin or another very flexible material. Then, they drop the ball with either the paper or the fit and finish. That is not so with the Cameo from Cambridge. The paper is nice and opaque. The font is a cleaned up 8 point, Petit Medieval Clarendon type. It is bold and easy to read. The text is arranged in a double column verse format with center column references.

I know there is a big trend now for the single column paragraph formats. Personally, I find it more difficult to focus on during reading in my home. I have a busy house and am always getting interrupted. As a consequence I routinely lose my place and have to look for where I left off so that I can resume reading. The paragraph format has all of the tiny verse numbers dispersed through the text and finding them or remembering where you left off can be a bit more tedious. I find it easier to pick up where I left off if I can find the verse quickly. This is my personal preference.

The Cameo is a delightful size Bible to hold and read anywhere. I can sit in my recliner and read it, I can read it in bed, I can read it on my work break, and I can read it while I drive I was just checking to see if you were still awake. Never read and drive! Seriously, seldom will you find a combination of form and function like the Cameo.

I debated for a year whether or not to order this particular Bible. I already ordered a NRSV with Moroccan Leather cover and spent quite a bit of money on it last year, (I really like it, by the way) so I was hesitant to again spend so much on yet another version. I decided to 'go for it' once again, as Christianbook . com was so wonderful to work with in the past. I am not going to critique the merits of the KJV w/ apocrypha itself, as that is a matter of choice for each person, but for the record, I always look for versions with the Apocrypha. So, suffice to say I like this particular version. First, I was struck by the size of the package it arrived in. It was smaller than I expected. When I opened it I was thrilled that it was actually the size it was, because I wanted a travel sized bible, and this was perfect! But I was afraid the print would be too small. When I opened the cover, the print was clear, dark and perfect, so I again thought something MUST be wrong. I checked to see if all the pages were there, and if all the books were included, and guess what? They were! The Bible was a perfect size, perfect print, and perfect feel. The leather cover and binding were flawless and I was floored by the overall quality of it. It truly bought tears to my eyes, and that says a lot, as I have been an ordained minister for going on 27 years, and I have had many different Bibles. but for some reason, this one was like seeing an old friend again after many years! I cannot say enough about it. There is nothing I would add or subtract to this particular Bible, it met my expectations and exceeded them by far!

I guess I'll learn someday not to get carried away with something before I see it just by reading all the glowing reviews beforehand. Once I received my copy I was disappointed in that it fell short in two ways that are significant to me: center column (references) print is too small and the paper is just too thin and delicate. If they could use a slightly heavier paper and bump up the font size just a bit this Bible would be nearly perfect. As it is I'll have to shelve it till I can afford to get my bifocal strength increased; and considering the price of a premium Bible in this awful economy, that's a real shame. I would have sent it back but I had it imprinted so it can't be returned (something to remember), but the imprinting did turn out very nicely. Hope this helps someone. Blessings!!!

I love this bible. I had a verse reference Holman for 28 years that I really loved. When it wore out I searched for about 5 years for the perfect bible. Than I found this one. The cover is soft and beautiful. Open the cover and the print is dark and easy to read. It is spaced so that it is easy to follow along and find passages when listening to a speaker. The only short coming is that it could be a bit better for references. They are not bad, but not as good as some Allan bible references. A good concordance can remedy that issue. Overall, this bible is and excellent bible for the price and I would purchase it again.